Agreed. Perhaps The Handmaid's Tale should have been adapted and produced in the native languages of one of those countries. Now THAT would have been a revolutionary act, rather than producing it for a nice, safe western market where we can all endure stale histrionics about "The Patriarchy."

Put your faith in God; he won't expect you.
Put your faith in death, because it's free.
If you believe in nothing, honey, it believes in you.
-Robyn Hitchcock

There are parts of the world, like Saudi Arabia or parts of India, where this is indeed everyday reality for women without any hope of that changing anytime soon. And Saudi elite tends to be extremely well educated, often in the most prestigious Western institutions...
And, people don't realize how easy it is for societies to slide into this in spite of all.

True for countries where there is no strong tradition of self-government and republican institutions. But I can't think of one country in the West that has backslid into a patriarchal theocracy. And I believe many are, indeed, talking about the show and book as timely in America's current political context.

"What lay behind me was no longer any normal, familiar life, that everyday life out of which the impulse to pray raises us, with still at the back of our minds that whensoever we wish we can return. A void was behind me. And in front a wall, a wall of darkness." Georges Bernanos, The Diary of a Country Priest

There are communities in the west that are pretty miserable for women still. Not just immigrant communities either. Once heard of a chemist in Texas who shouted at a girl who tried to buy birth control for a related health problem.

Thanks, I was beginning to wonder why some were sounding so comfortable about the situation. Science Fiction tends to exaggerate aspects of the present because sometimes that's an effective way of discussing them and potential futures. It doesn't really deal much with an accurate version of the present.

If extremist scum like Richard Spencer can get respectability in a relatively short time then who knows what else can happen in a few years.

If only these anti-abortion people cared so much about the well-being of those who've come out the womb.

Far right went from inhabiting the thinnest edges of society to being major political power around the western world in a matter of few years. So yes, it can very much happen here.

Christianity is also very much alive and kicking and it still presents a threat, sadly. People limited to urban areas tend to be ignorant of that and, as always, then project their surroundings to the rest of their respective countries.

There are parts of the world, like Saudi Arabia or parts of India, where this is indeed everyday reality for women without any hope of that changing anytime soon. And Saudi elite tends to be extremely well educated, often in the most prestigious Western institutions...
And, people don't realize how easy it is for societies to slide into this in spite of all.

Pointing fingers at others is far easier than cleaning one's own house...

But women need not worry. This is just an unrealistic dystopian fantasy scenario.

It can't happen here.

You seem to presume that a real woman supports abortion on demand. So, the woman in the photo you provided must just be dupes of the patriarchy. Were they more properly enlightened, they would of course recognize they are in chains and would unfailingly support abortion on demand.

A part of the reason a substantial portion of women voters voted for Trump (BTW, I did not vote for Trump.) may be that they're a little tired of being told that they have to have the proper (orthodox) attitude towards "women's issues". Other, very reasonable points of view may exist regarding these issues. And sometimes in some places these points of view prevail. This does not equal theocratic patriarchy or anything approaching it. (Either that or prior to Roe v. Wade we lived in a theocratic patriarchy in the US.)

"What lay behind me was no longer any normal, familiar life, that everyday life out of which the impulse to pray raises us, with still at the back of our minds that whensoever we wish we can return. A void was behind me. And in front a wall, a wall of darkness." Georges Bernanos, The Diary of a Country Priest

"What lay behind me was no longer any normal, familiar life, that everyday life out of which the impulse to pray raises us, with still at the back of our minds that whensoever we wish we can return. A void was behind me. And in front a wall, a wall of darkness." Georges Bernanos, The Diary of a Country Priest

This seems to be going nowhere, so I'll say just one more thing. We could actually engage with the ideas discussed rather than simply being dismissive. I disagree with you, but I wish you the best.

"What lay behind me was no longer any normal, familiar life, that everyday life out of which the impulse to pray raises us, with still at the back of our minds that whensoever we wish we can return. A void was behind me. And in front a wall, a wall of darkness." Georges Bernanos, The Diary of a Country Priest